Brit Award viewers fume over Green Day 'insult'

Roman Kemp may have stepped into it a little bit during his stint hosting the Brit Awards with a cheeky comparison between American punk rockers Green Day and English pop-punk band Busted.

Two members of Green Day, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and drummer Tre Cool - were introduced to the stage during today's Brit Awards at the O2 Arena as the guest presenters called upon to announce the winner of the British Group award.

However, Kemp - who has recently called time on his stint as a radio DJ with Capital FM - introduced them in a way that didn't stick the landing with viewers.

"To present our next award for British group are two genuine rock gods," said Kemp when calling Armstrong and Cool to the stage, "they have sold over 75 million records and released 14 albums - they are very much the American Busted. Please welcome from Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tré Cool."

With all due respect to Busted, there's no comparison. Green Day are massive stadium rockers who could sell out most music venues - and then some - and while Busted have sold millions of albums themselves, they aren't as nearly popular nor influential as the legendary trio.

Of course, some Green Day fans clocked this comparison instantly, and didn't take too kindly to the off-hand comparison by Kemp:

The California punk rockers have recently released their fourteenth studio album, Saviors, after a number of under-wrap performances across London in smaller venues than the stadiums they are used to. They'll move on quickly from Kemp's words when they are back on tour, playing to thousands.

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